Comment: Struggles with Survey Weighting and Regression Modeling

Comment: Struggles with Survey Weighting and Regression Modeling [arXiv:0710.5005]Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/088342307000000159 the Statistical Science (http://www.imstat.org/sts/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Experimental designs for multiple-level responses, with application to a large-scale educational intervention

Educational research often studies subjects that are in naturally clustered groups of classrooms or schools. When designing a randomized experiment to evaluate an intervention directed at teachers, but with effects on teachers and their students, the power or anticipated variance for the treatment effect needs to be examined at both levels. If the treatment is applied to clusters, power is usually reduced. At the same time, a cluster design decreases the probability of contamination, and contamination can also reduce power to detect a treatment effect. Designs that are optimal at one level may be inefficient for estimating the treatment effect at another level. In this paper we study the efficiency of three designs and their ability to detect a treatment effect: randomize schools to treatment, randomize teachers within schools to treatment, and completely randomize teachers to treatment. The three designs are compared for both the teacher and student level within the mixed model framework, and a simulation study is conducted to compare expected treatment variances for the three designs with various levels of correlation within and between clusters. We present a computer program that study designers can use to explore the anticipated variances of treatment effects under proposed experimental designs and settings.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/08-AOAS216 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Factors Influencing Oviposition in \u3ci\u3eAedes Triseriatus\u3c/i\u3e (Diptera: Culicidae)

Five factors associated with natural oviposition sites were tested for their attractancy to ovipositing Aedes triseriatus, including dyed oviposition water, presence of decaying organic matter, a dark oviposition container, water in which conspecific larvae have been reared to the 4th instar and the presence of eggs on the balsa wood oviposition substrate. A replicated fractional factorial design was used to examine the effects of the above factors on oviposition behavior in laboratory experiments. Regression analysis showed dyed oviposition water and eggs on the oviposition substrate to be statistically significant attractants for ovipositing A. triseriatus females. The attraction to dyed oviposition water indicated that dyed water in oviposition traps may greatly increase their competiveness with naturally occurring oviposition sites

The Integration of Family Life Education in an Innovative Elementary School in Watertown, South Dakota

With the help of a home economics consultant, teachers at Lincoln Learning Laboratory, Watertown, South Dakota, attempted to integrate Family Life Education into the curriculum in the second semester of the school year, 1967-68. . . . It was felt that the following objectives could be accomplished. (1) To enrich the curriculum of Lincoln Learning Laboratory through the integration of Family Life Education. (2) To give the participating teachers some in-service training. (3) To create an awareness of -the possibilities for integration of Family Life Education in teachers in the area since Lincoln was being promoted through communications and observations as an innovative school. (4) To assemble resource materials such as books, pamphlets, charts, filmstrips, etc. used during the experiment and others available for this level of learning

Accurate Multivariate Estimation Using Double and Triple Sampling

1 online resource (PDF, 47 pages

How can patient experience of abortion care be improved? Evidence from the SACHA study

Background: Models of abortion care have changed significantly in the last decade, most markedly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when home management of early medical abortion with telemedical support was approved in Britain.Objective: Our study aimed to examine women's satisfaction with abortion care and their suggestions for improvements.Design: Qualitative, in-depth, semi-structured interviews.Methods: A purposive sample of 48 women with recent experience of abortion was recruited between July 2021 and August 2022 from independent sector and National Health Service abortion services in Scotland, Wales and England. Interviews were conducted by phone or via video call. Women were asked about their abortion experience and for suggestions for any improvements that could be made along their patient journey - from help-seeking, the initial consultation, referral, treatment, to aftercare. Data were analyzed using the Framework Method.Results: Participants were aged 16-43 years; 39 had had a medical abortion, 8 a surgical abortion, and 1 both. The majority were satisfied with their clinical care. The supportive, kind and non-judgmental attitudes of abortion providers were highly valued, as was the convenience afforded by remotely supported home management of medical abortion. Suggestions for improvement across the patient journey centred around the need for timely care; greater correspondence between expectations and reality; the importance of choice; and the need for greater personal and emotional support.Conclusion: Recent changes in models of care present both opportunities and challenges for quality of care. The perspectives of patients highlight further opportunities for improving care and support. The principles of timely care, choice, management of expectations, and emotional support should inform further service configuration